October 2016

It happens to everyone.

You spend your life adding more, more, more...more square footage, more clothing to your wardrobe, more toys to the kids' rooms. Eventually, though, keeping up with all that space and stuff can start to feel like more hassle than it's worth. When you start feeling this way, it may be time to downsize.

"Downsizing" doesn't have to mean moving into a shoebox apartment; it can be just as fulfilling (or more!) to move to a smaller space with less responsibilities. Here are a few signs you might be ready.

You Have Rooms You Never Use

Here in the Southeast, homes are bigger than ever. Maybe when you had two kids at home that "bonus room" was the perfect place for them to play with toys, then video games, but now that

Your pets are your world...we get it. We're pet people (specifically, dog people!) here at Hendrix Properties and we love our furry friends just as much as you do. Unfortunately, potential buyers might not feel the same way. Don't let your pets kill a potential sale!

How can you ready your home for market when you've got pets? Here are a few suggestions for making sure buyers see your home, and not your animals.

First, Plan Ahead

You'll need to do something with your pets during showings...what will that thing be? Does your animal do well in a boarding facility, or do you have a friend nearby you can drop him off with? Can you take your pet to work for a few hours? If your animal won't handle the back-and-forth all that well, consider

New home building in Charlotte is happening at a record pace. Statistics show that over 10,000 new homes were started in the greater Charlotte area this year! New homes in Charlotte sell at about a 30% premium over already-built homes in the area, and both national and local home builders can’t seem to break ground fast enough.

So, which Charlotte home builders are the most popular, and why? We dig deeper.

D.R. Horton Home

D.R. Horton calls themselves “America’s Builder” and that holds true in Charlotte where the builder has an astounding 17 developments! From the new Walnut Creek in Lancaster, SC, to Covington at Lake Norman, D.R. Horton specializes in mid-priced family homes. With their own mortgage services and title services offered, it’s no

Buying your first home is one of the most exciting things you'll ever do, but the process isn't without its surprises.

If you've been working with a great buyers agent, they've probably prepped you on everything you can expect before, during, and after the buying process, so hopefully you won't get too caught off guard by some of the newfound financial responsibilities of home ownership. Just in case, we've put together a list of the most common expenses first-time buyers are hit with that leave them scratching their heads...

1. Home Inspection Cost

As a buyer, did you know that you're typically responsible for the cost of your home inspection? A professional inspection usually costs somewhere between $300-$600 and that's money you don't get

As we turn the corner on the final quarter of 2016, we are still experiencing high demand and low inventory across the Charlotte area, causing higher selling prices and shorter time on the market. According to the Carolina Regional Realtor Association (CRRA) in their monthly indicators report, "With rental prices and employment opportunities in a consistent climb, year-over-year increases in home buying are probable for the rest of the year but not guaranteed." Year over year new listings are up across the region, as are median sales prices. Here is a snapshot of the Charlotte metro area Real Estate Market:

Need a little help breaking down the numbers? Here are a few points to consider:

BOO!

Gosh, we love fall in Charlotte. The leaves start crunching under your feet, festivals start popping up every weekend, and best of all, pumpkin spice everything! One of our favorite fall traditions growing up was picking pumpkins at a local farm. Here are a few of the best pick-your-own pumpkin patches near Charlotte for 2016.

1. Hodges Farm3900 Rocky River Road East | CharlotteOne of the biggest of its kind, Hodges is open 7 days a week for pumpkin picking. They've got all kinds of great activities for kids, too, like bunnies to pet, hay rides, and more.

2. Riverbend Farm12150 McManus Road | Midland With over 24 years in the pumpkin business, these folks are doing it right. They've got over 20 acres of pumpkins and are open